Presser for circular-knitting machines



Dec. 7 1926.

E. L. CUMMINGS.

PRESSER FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 26. 1925 INVENTOR [dward Lu c -linings ATTORNEY atented Dec. 7, 1226.

smitten EDW'ARD LEROY CUMMINGS, 0F I-IUGKNALL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB TO GEORGE SPENCER AND ARTHUR IBEDW'ARD SPENCER, TRADING AS FIRI'JL 0F GEORGE SPENCER AND COIVIPANY, OF I-IUCKNALL, BASFORD, AND LUTTEBRVORTH, ENGLAND.

PRESSER F033. CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed. March 26, 1925, Serial No. 1S,357, and in Great Britain April 7, 1924.

This invention relates to improvements in pressers for circular knitting machines and has more particular reference to cut presser wheels for use on bearded needle machines.

The object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby a more even pressure may be applied to the needle beards during the pressing operation and means for enabling the beards to be pressed for a longer period, the realization of the above enumerated means materially assisting in the production of a more uniform fabric and tending to preserve the life of the needles.

Heretofore pressers as above have been constituted by a single wheel, the periphery of which has been caused to bear upon and press the needle beards.

In utilizing such wheels the serious disadvantage exists in that only a comparatively small number of beards can be pressed at one and the same time and that the needle beards are actually being pressed by the wheel for only a comparatively short period. There is consequently a tendency for the. beards to be inefficiently pressed resulting in a liability of certain of the threads passing up under the needle beards and a defective fabric being produced.

To safeguard against such possibilities it has previously been necessary to apply a considerable force to the presser in the direction of the needles. Consequent upon the application of such force the needle positioned at any instant directly intermediate the centre of the presser wheel and the centre of the needle cylinder has been forced inwardly towards the centre of the cylinder a very appreciable amount, those needles immediately on either side of the aforementioned needle being forced inwardly a less amount in accordance with the curvature of the wheel. The application of this necessarily excessive pressure on the needles is frequently responsible for breakages so that the rate of production of the fabric is directly affected adversely.

According to this invention a plurality of presser wheels are provided for each course and arranged-in close proximity with one another so that each needle to be pressed is acted upon by the wheels in succession.

For the purpose of more fully describ- Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective a presser in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of each wheel'o'f the presser, illustrating more clearly the operation of same upon the needles.

In a particular embodiment the wheels arearranged to overlap one another and are so arranged that each needle after being pressed by one wheel is immediately pressed by the next succeeding wheel. Preferably the arrangement is such that no time elapses intermediate the pressing of a needle-by one wheel and the pressing of such needle by the next succeeding wheel.

By this means it will be seen that the needles can remain pressed for an appreciably longer period and further the necessity for causing the pressers to exert excessive pressure on the needles is entirely obviated. Conveniently as shown in the drawings on- 1y two presser wheels 1, 2 need be employed the wheel 1 first engaged by the needles 3 being of smaller diameter than and partially overlapping the second wheel 2.

The wheels 1, 2 may be formed with pe ripheral teeth or serrations 4., each tooth being formed with a V or concave recess 5 at its end, which recesses accommodate the needles during the pressing operation.

As will be seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings the two wheels constitute a continued and uninterrupted presser operating upon the needle row for a distance extending from a to b. The dotted line 0 indicates the dis tance to which the needles would be pressed into the cylinder were a single presser wheel to be employed.

Independent adjustment may be provided in respect of each wheel. In the arrangement illustrated, the larger wheel 2 has an upstanding hollow boss 6 mounted upon a spindle portion carried by a bracket 7 which latter is slidably movable towards and away from the needles by the manipulation of a milled knob 8, the movement of the bracket 7 thereby adjusting the position of wheel 2 relative to the needles 3.

The smaller wheel 1 also has an upstanding boss 9 and is rotatably mounted upon a short spindle 10, which spindle is carried from. the boss 6 of the larger wheel 2 by a centrally jointed arm 11, the two portions of said arm being connected by screw member 12 passing through elongated slot 13. To adjust the position of wheel 1 radially with respect to. the larger wheel 2, the screw 12 is loosened so as to permit or the two arm portions being moved relative to each other. The two arm portions can also be fixed at an angle to each other. The axis of the smaller wheel. can also be moved in a circular path round that of the larger wheel by loosening the screw I l and screwing same upai'ter the adjustment has been effected.

The smaller wheel 1 can also be adjusted vertically upon its spindle 10 by suitably manipulating the lining nuts 15, or other means may be provided for this purpose.

I claim:

l. Pres-sore for circular knitting machines, comprising a plurality of presser wheels disposed in posi vion to contact with needles at different circumferential points and to maintain the pressing action throughout the circumferential portion of contact.

2. Pressers for circular knitting machines comprising a plurality of individually rotatable presser wheels mounted to overlap one another, whereby said wheels contact with needles at different circumferential points and maintain the pressing action throughout the circumferential portion of contact.

3. Pressers for circular knitting machines comprising two rotatable pr-esser wheels one of which is of smaller diameter than and partially overlaps the second wheel, the smaller wheel being adapted to engage and press the needles immediately prior to the larger wheel, the organization being such that said wheels contact with needles at different circumferential points and maintain the pressing action throughout the (llCflillferential portion of contact.

4. Pressers for circular knitting machines comprising a plurality of presser wheels mounted to overlap one another and so disposed that a plurality of needles at one and the same course are acted upon by the wheels in succession, at different circumferential points and the pressing action maintained throughout the circumferential portion of contact, each wheel being mounted so as to be capable of independent adjust ment. I

5. Pressers for circular knittingv machines comprising a plurality of individually adj ustable presser wheels mounted upon a single element or unit and overlapping one another so that each needle pressed by one Wheel is immediately pressed by the next succeeding wheel, the two wheels function.- ing to contact with needles at dili'erent circumferential points and to maintain the pressing action throughout the circumferential portion of contact.

6. In pressers for circular knitting machines two rotatable presser wheels of diiien ing diameters, member carrying'the larger presser wheel, means for adjustably displacing said member so as to adjust the position of said larger wheel relatively to the machine needles, a boss on said larger wheel, a link extending vfrom said boss, a comparatively small presser wheel rotatably carried by said link, said smaller wheel overlapping the larger wheel and coacting with same to press the needles, at different circumferential points and to maintain. the pressing acting throughout the circumferential portion of contact, and'means for adjusting the position of said smaller wheel relatively to the larger wheel.

'1. In pressers for circular knitting machines two rotatable presser wheels of dif fering diameters, a displaceable member carrying the larger wheel, a relatively stationary member carrying said displaceable member, an upstanding boss on said larger wheel, a centrally pivoted link extending from said boss, means for adjustably fixing said pivoted link in either a straight or cranked condition and for adjusting the length of said link, a comparatively small presser wheel rotatably carried by said linlr, said smaller wheel overlapping the larger wheel. and coacting therewith to press needles at different circumferential points and to maintain the pressing action throughout the circumferential portion of contact, and means for adjusting the displaceable mem ber carrying the larger wheel so as to ad just both wheels simultaneously relat vely to the machine needles.

EDXVARD LEROY CUMMINGS 

